EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Michael Ogle

Freshwater Science & Sustainability Organization

"Doing my best and always looking for new ways to help expand our human potential."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,554 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

494

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

20

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

20

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

28

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

225

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1,162

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

8.0

public officials or leaders

contacted
UP TO

15

trees

planted
UP TO

60

zero-waste meals

consumed

Michael's actions

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 4 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Support Local Food Systems

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will source 60 percent of my food from local producers each day. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmer's market, visiting a food co-op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Fix Leaky Faucets

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Install a Toilet Bank

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water per day by installing a toilet tank bank.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Choose LED Bulbs

#33 LED Lighting (Household)

I will replace 20 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Express My Support

#59 Bike Infrastructure

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact bike routes and express my support for better biking infrastructure.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

All Buildings and Cities Solutions

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings and Cities Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Social Justice

Express My Support

#54 Walkable Cities

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact neighborhood walkability and express my support for better walking infrastructure.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Social Justice

Learn about Local Indigenous Practices

#39 Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how local indigenous tribes are caring for the land by attending a training, workshop, or presentation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Social Justice

Contact your Elected Officials

#23 Farmland Restoration

I will contact 5 elected officials to voice my opinion on the importance of restoring farmland in my region, including both public and private land.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Become A Master Recycler/Composter

#55 Household Recycling

I will sign up for a Master Recycler/Composter program in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Generation Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Zero-waste Cooking

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 3 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 45 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Use Muscle Power

#49 Cars

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Purchase a Carbon Offset

#43 Airplanes

If I buy a plane ticket, I will purchase a carbon offset.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Explore Other Transport Solutions

All Transport Solutions

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Transport Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Plant Trees

#15 Afforestation

I will plant 15 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.

To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?

Michael Ogle 4/25/2019 12:34 PM

I’m proud of myself and my daily dedication to trying to make the world a little less polluted. I think I’ll be able to take the lessons I learned and carry them with me into the future.

Read More
Michael Ogle 4/24/2019 11:10 AM

An epic beautiful day here in norther Michigan and I’m working to get work to do a better job of recycling, it’s going slowly.

Read More
Michael Ogle 4/23/2019 7:17 PM

I’m so glad that I was able to be apart of this amazing challenge. I only wish it didn’t have to end.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?

Michael Ogle 4/23/2019 7:04 PM

Hempcrete would be a remarkable addition to our building supplies. It’s inexpensive, strong, and way, way more sustainable.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Zero-waste Cooking

How are environmental issues like black carbon and other emissions from cooking fires or rudimentary cookstoves also human health and social justice issues? Why do these issues matter to you?

Michael Ogle 4/23/2019 7:02 PM

Why do the matter? Because I’m worried just just about my own life on this planet, I’m worried about the lives of all living things. We have to do better. There is a unexceptable chasm between have and have not, and there doesn’t need to be.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Fix Leaky Faucets

What are other easy and low-cost ways to reduce your water usage at home?

Michael Ogle 4/23/2019 6:59 PM

Simple things like using rain barrels, decreasing the volume of space in the toilet reservoir, flush less often, turn off the sink while brushing my teeth, little things. I learned long ago that just a single grain of rice can tip the scales. 99 isn’t 100.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Reduce Animal Products

In your opinion, what contributes to people in North America eating more meat than any other countries? What does this say about North American values and ways of living?

Michael Ogle 4/23/2019 6:56 PM

In my opinion, people in the US simply do not care about others. They assume they are the most important and that only they matter. We are the global leader in consumption. We also throw away more then anywhere else. We are gluttons and it is an embarrassment. We, as a society, should be ashamed and embarrassed. We need to look in the mirror and realize that it is better to give then to consume. I’m embarrassed to say that I come from this place because of the way the majority acts.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Support Local Food Systems

Dependable fresh food, supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these (or other) advantages inspire you the most?

Michael Ogle 4/23/2019 6:49 PM

I’m most moved by the benefit to the soil. Soil is capable of sequestering millions of tons of carbon dioxide which would be really beneficial right about now.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Learn More about Biomass

Had you ever heard of biomass techonology before you took this challenge? What did you learn that surprised you? Share this with your friends!

Michael Ogle 4/23/2019 6:48 PM

This wasn’t the first time I had heard of it. I work in the outside industry and the world of brilliant people have created stoves that you can backpack with the run off biomass as apposed to fossil fuels. Which is remarkable!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Social Justice Contact your Elected Officials

Do you have any personal connections to a farm or farmland? If so, what are they? What feelings are evoked for you when thinking about declining farmland?

Michael Ogle 4/23/2019 6:46 PM

Personal, yes! Very. What is it? It is that everything minus what I can grow in the summer months come from a farm be it local or far away. I’m fond of it because I’m passionately interested in not starving. I’m worried with both the fact that farm land is diminishing and that the types of agriculture we are undertaking in the US is very, VERY hard on the soil. And that causes me a lot of concern. Because like I said, I’m passionately interested in not starving.

Read More